chalaza

American  

[kuh-ley-zuh] / kəˈleɪ zə /

noun

chalazas, plural chalazae plural

1. Zoology. one of the two albuminous twisted cords which fasten an egg yolk to the shell membrane.

2. Botany. the point of an ovule or seed where the integuments are united to the nucellus.

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chalaza British  

/ kəˈleɪzə /

noun

1. one of a pair of spiral threads of albumen holding the yolk of a bird's egg in position

2. the basal part of a plant ovule, where the integuments and nucellus are joined

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chalaza Scientific  

/ kə-lā′zə /

chalazae plural

1. One of two spiral bands of tissue in an egg that connect the yolk to the lining membrane at either end of the shell.

2. The region of a plant ovule that is opposite the micropyle, where the integuments and nucellus are joined.

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• chalazian
  adjective
• chalazal
  adjective

Inflected Forms

noun

• chalazas
  plural
• chalazae
  plural

Etymology

Origin of chalaza

1695–1705; < New Latin < Greek: hail, lump

Example Sentences

Seeds usually three or four, large, short, plump, blunt, notched; chalaza oval, depressed, indistinct; raphe a broad groove.

From Manual of American Grape-Growing by Hedrick, U. P.

Seeds medium in size, broad, beak short; chalaza oval or roundish, elevated, very distinct; raphe a distinct, cord-like ridge.

From Manual of American Grape-Growing by Hedrick, U. P.

The chalaza is at the insertion or base, the foramen or orifice is at the apex.

From The Elements of Botany For Beginners and For Schools by Gray, Asa

The radicular extremity points towards the micropyle, while the cotyledonary extremity is pointed towards the base of the ovule or the chalaza.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 11, Slice 3 "Frost" to "Fyzabad" by Various

The base of the nucellus is indicated by the chalaza ch, while the apex is at the micropyle m.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 11, Slice 3 "Frost" to "Fyzabad" by Various